Strengthening Effective Engagement to Scale Up NutritionKnowledge Sharing: Zimbabwe Case Study

10-12 June 2015Nairobi, Kenya

BACKGROUND

The Need for Knowledge & Information

WHAT ABOUT REDUCING STUNTINGBROAD OBJECTIVE• To reduce stunting in children U5 in vulnerable districts of Zimbabwe through a multi-

sectoral community based model approach and systems strengthening

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES• Capacity building of food and nutrition security committees at all levels on planning,

coordination, implementation of community based approach to reduce stunting• Assess the determinants of stunting / the drivers of stunting• Develop and Implement community/micro-plans at community level based on key

critical evidence based nutrition specific and nutrition sensitive interventions / service package to reduce stunting

• Develop and implement a comprehensive multi sectoral monitoring and evaluation system to track effectiveness of food and nutrition security interventions.

• Promote learning and knowledge

FNS Multi-sectoral Implementation Structures

National FNSC

Working Party of PS

CABINET

Food

and N

utriti

on Se

curit

y Stru

cture

sFood and Nutrition Security

Implem

entation Structures

FNSAG & Technical Committee

Cabinet Committee on FNS

Provincial FNSCs

Ward / Community/Village FNSCs

District FNSCs

Membership - The community FNSCs

Community health nurse, Environmental Health Technician, Ward Development coordinator , Agriculture extension worker, ward religious leaders , community head man

Ward councilor and chief

Lead Father Lead Mother

Adolescent champions

Any other active village volunteer

Why Community Based Participatory Approach for Stunting Reduction

• While some generalisations on the food and nutrition problems in different parts of the country at different times are possible,…..important local contexts matter and

• Solutions that sufficiently take this into account stand a better chances of not only succeeding but of being sustainable and long lasting also

Why the Community Based Participatory Approach

• Reinforcing the central role and responsibility that communities and civil society have in ensuring food and nutrition security.

HENCE• It is a people-centred approach that places ownership and control of the

development process within the community• They cease to be just beneficiaries of projects and programmes but become

masters of their own destiny• It enables a greater layering of interventions, fostering complementary measures

that build a stronger rationale for synergies across programme areas • This is so because the CBA establishes a sustainable common planning platform

that facilitates local coordination

IMPORTANT TO DEFINING COMMUNITY BASED MULTISECTORAL APPROACH IN

REDUCING STUNTING

Improving our Information and Knowledge sharing

Approach

Information Gathering and Sharing Structure (4 Information Gathering and Sharing Structure (4 Districts) Districts)

PROVINCE

DISTRICT

WARD

VILLAGE

NATIONAL

Data

ODK

PROVINCE Dashboards

DISTRICTDashboards

WARD Dashboards

Village Report (paper)

NATIONAL Dashboards

Reports

SQL RapidPro

Community Score Card

Soci

al a

ccou

ntab

ility

Data pushed/mirrored to another DB where it can be processed

Data sent based on agreed thresholds

Dat

abas

e

Community tool + VFNSC tool (paper based)

Community tool + WFNSC tool (tablet)

DFNSC tool (Computer + tablet)

PFNSC tool (Computer)

PFNSC tool (Computer)

Alerts Social accountability

FNC CONTROLLED SERVER

Knowledge Exchange

Challenges and Risks (Remaining 56 Districts)

Lack of technology at decentralised level to enable early

information sharing, and action

Lack of feedback mechanisms from national to province to

district to ward & village levels

Lack of resources to scale up the approach

Lack of near real time monitoring system

Lessons learned

• Multi-stakeholder and multi-sectoral approach is a key information and knowledge sharing platform• Constant and effective communication ensures active participation of

key stakeholders • Availability of reliable information assists in decision making at all

levels of the FNCs • Improves collaboration and partnerships in implementing

programmes and projects among stakeholders •